2017 Spencer Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Spencer, Iowa  2017  Comprehensive Plan

The Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) is an essential tool for the city to use in maintaining and planning improvements to the city streets and infrastructure. Similarly, the Spencer Public Works Department annually updates the city’s CIP to reflect new and proposed projects on a five-year cycle. The city should maintain its CIP plan as the city continues to experience growth and development. Some implementation measures relative to control ordinances and capital improvements planning for the city to consider include: 1. A comparison of the city’s zoning districts with respect to existing and future proposed land use designations. 2. Re-define or amend district boundaries where land uses are at conflict with existing zoning classifications. 3. Consider deleting certain zoning districts if they are no longer applicable, as well as creating or adding new zoning districts to fit land use classifications not necessarily covered within one of the city’s existing zoning districts. 4. Consider updating the city’s zoning map to accurately reflect existing land uses match the appropriate zoning classification. Also, an updated zoning map should reflect an effort to minimize or eliminate as many nonconforming uses as possible. 5. Review and implement design standards for the city’s downtown district, designated commercial corridors, riverfront development district, historic Grand Avenue residential district, cultural district, etc. 6. Review and changes, if needed, to the city’s zoning administrative procedures. 7. Continue identifying and implementing a capital improvement plan for the city’s Safe Routes to School program, specifically targeting sidewalk and pedestrian related infrastructure projects. 8. Continue annual updates to the city’s capital improvements plan, identifying and specifying timeframes for completion of necessary city street, infrastructure and utility projects. 9. Identify, consider and implement capital improvement projects for the city’s community facility buildings such as Library, Parks and Recreation Department, Fire Department, Police Department, maintenance, City Hall, etc. 10. Consider innovative funding options and sources of funding to aid the city in implementing planned capital improvement projects. Seek collaborative funding opportunities for capital improvement projects with Clay County, State of Iowa, Iowa DOT, Iowa DNR, local educational facilities, etc. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES Community leaders and city officials are charged with the task of identifying, leading, and being the first to accept and embrace Spencer’s future growth and development. Suggested implementation measures the city may wish to review, address and incorporate include: 1. Establish a benchmark from which future community growth will be measured against. Create a three to five-year action or strategy plan addressing specific growth, economic development, and annexation policies. 2. Consider creating and implementing a separate annexation plan for the community in which specific areas or parcels of land are identified and prioritized for potential future annexations. Assess which annexations will likely be voluntary versus an 80/20 or involuntary annexation area.

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NW Iowa Planning & Development